How to Choose the Best Welding Technical School near Nanuet New York
Locating the ideal welding school near Nanuet NY is an essential first step to launching your new career as a professional welder. But since there are so many schools to select from, how do you know which ones to consider? And more importantly, once you have narrowed down your choices, how do you select the best one? Many prospective students start by looking at the schools that are nearest to their homes. Once they have found those that are within driving distance, they gravitate toward the cheapest one. Yes, location and tuition cost are important issues when reviewing welding trade schools, but they are not the only ones. Other factors include such things as reputation, accreditation and job placement rates. So before initiating your search for a trade school to become a welder, it’s wise to establish a list of qualifications that your chosen school must have. But before we delve into our due diligence checklist, let’s talk a little bit about how to become a welder.
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Welding Certificate and Degree Programs
There are several alternatives available to obtain training as a welder in a technical or trade school. You can receive a diploma, a certificate or an Associate Degree. Bachelor Degrees are offered in Welding Technology or Welding Engineering, but are more advanced courses than most journeyman welders will need. Some programs are also offered in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Below are brief explanations of the most common welding programs offered in the Nanuet NY area.
- Diploma and Certificate Programs are generally made available by trade and technical schools and take about a year to finish. They are more hands-on training in scope, created largely to teach welding skills. They can furnish a good foundation for a new journeyman or apprentice welder, or specialized skills for experienced welders.
- Associate Degree Programs will take 2 years to complete and are usually offered by community colleges. An Associate Degree in Welding Technology offers a more well-rounded education than the certificate or diploma while still providing the foundation that readies students to enter the workforce.
Some municipalities and states do have licensing prerequisites for welders, therefore make sure to find out for your location of future employment. As required, the welding school you select should ready you for any licensing exams that you will have to take in addition to providing the suitable training to become a professional welder.
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Welder Certification Alternatives
There are several organizations that offer welding certifications, which evaluate the skill level and knowledge of those applying. Numerous Nanuet NY employers not only require a certificate or degree from an accredited welding program, but also certification from a renowned organization like the American Welding Society (AWS). Different certifications are available based upon the kind of work that the welder does. Some of the things that certification can attest to are the welder’s ability to
- Operate in compliance with specific codes
- Work with specified metal thicknesses
- Work with various types of welds
- Work based on contract specifications
As previously mentioned, many cities, states or local municipalities have licensing mandates for welders. Of those calling for licensing, some additionally require certification for different kinds of work. Certification is also a way to demonstrate to employers that you are an exceptionally skilled and experienced welder. So similarly as with licensing, look into the requirements for your local area and confirm that the welder technical school you decide on preps you for certification as needed.
Topics to Ask Welding Technical Programs
When you have decided on the credential you want to earn, a diploma, certificate or degree, you can begin to evaluate schools. As you probably know, there are many welding trade and technical schools in the Nanuet NY area. That’s why it’s important to decide in advance what qualifications your chosen school must have. We have already discussed 2 significant ones that many people consider first, which are location and the cost of tuition. As stated, although they are essential qualifiers, they are not the only ones that should be considered. After all, the school you choose is going to furnish the instruction that will be the foundation of your new profession as a welder. So below are some additional factors you might need to consider before choosing a welder trade school.
Accreditation. It’s essential that the welding technical school you decide on is accredited by either a national or a regional organization. There are two basic types of accreditation. The school may earn Institutional Accreditation based on all of their programs. Programmatic Accreditation is based on a single program the school has, such as Welding Technology. So make sure that the program you select is accredited, not just the school alone. Additionally, the accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT). Besides helping ensure that you get a quality education, the accreditation can also help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available in Nanuet NY for schools that are not accredited. Finally, for those states or local governments that require licensing, they may require that the welder training program be accredited as well.
Job Assistance and Apprenticeship Programs. A large number of welding degree or diploma programs are provided in conjunction with an apprenticeship program. Various other schools will help place you in a job or an apprenticeship after graduation. Find out if the schools you are considering assist in placing students in apprenticeships or have a job placement program. These schools should have associations with local unions and other metal working businesses to which they can refer their students. More established schools may have a larger network of graduates that they can utilize for referrals. These programs can assist students in finding employment and establish associations within the Nanuet NY welding community.
Completion and Job Placement Rates. The completion rate is the portion or percentage of students that start an instructional program and complete it. It’s crucial that the welder program you pick has a high completion rate. A reduced rate could signify that the students who were in the program were unhappy with the instruction, the instructors, or the facilities, and quit. The job placement rate is also an indication of the caliber of training. A higher job placement rate will not only affirm that the program has a good reputation within the industry, but also that it has the network of Nanuet NY employer relationships to assist students obtain employment or apprenticeships upon graduation.
Up-to-date Equipment and Facilities. Once you have decreased your choice of welding schools to two or three options, you should consider going to the campuses to evaluate their facilities. Make sure that both the facilities and the equipment that you will be instructed on are up-to-date. Specifically, the training equipment should be similar to what you will be using in the field. If you are unsure what to look for, and are already in an apprenticeship program, ask the master welder you are working under for guidance. Otherwise, ask a local Nanuet NY welding professional if they can give you a few pointers.
School Location. Even though we already briefly talked about the relevance of location, there are a few additional points that we need to address. You should keep in mind that unless you can relocate, the welder school you select needs to be within driving distance of your Nanuet NY home. If you do choose to attend an out-of-state school, besides relocation costs there could be higher tuition fees for out-of-state residents. This is particularly the case for welding diploma programs offered by community colleges. Furthermore, if the school provides an apprenticeship or job placement program, often their placements are within the school’s regional community. So the location of the school needs to be in a region or state where you subsequently will desire to work.
Small Classes. Personalized training is essential for a manual trade such as welding. It’s easy to get overlooked in larger classes and not receive much personalized training. Ask what the average class size is for the welder schools you are considering. Inquire if you can attend some classes so that you can experience how much individual attention the students are receiving. While there, speak with several of the students and get their feedback. Also, speak with a few of the instructors and find out what their welding experience has been and what credentials and certifications they hold.
Flexible Class Schedules. Many people learn a new profession while still employed at their current job. Check to see that the class schedules for the schools you are reviewing are flexible enough to meet your needs. If you can only attend classes at night or on weekends near Nanuet NY, make sure that the schools you are considering offer those alternatives. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm that the school you select offers part-time enrollment. Also, ask what the policy is to make up classes should you miss any due to work, sickness or family circumstances.
Online Welding Schools
Welding is truly a manual kind of profession, and consequently not extremely suitable for online training. However, there are a few online welding classes offered by specific community colleges and trade schools in the greater Nanuet NY area that may count toward a certificate or degree program. These courses mainly cover such subjects as reading blueprints, safety,, and metallurgy. They can help give a novice a foundation to start their training and education. Nevertheless, the most critical point is that you can’t learn how to weld or use welding materials unless you actually do it. Clearly that can’t be accomplished online. These skills must be learned in an on-campus environment or in an apprenticeship. Online or distance learning is better suited for seasoned welders that would like to advance their expertise or possibly earn a more advanced degree. So if you should come across an online welding certificate or degree program, be extremely cautious and make sure that the bulk of the training is done on campus or in a workshop type of environment.
Top Weekend Welding Schools Nanuet NY
Picking the right welder training program will undoubtedly be the most important decision you will make to start your new trade. You originally stopped by our website because you had an interest in Top Weekend Welding Schools and wanted more information on the topic Best Fast Track Welding Schools. However, as we have covered in this article, there are many things that you will need to examine and compare among the schools you are considering. It’s a must that any welder training program that you are assessing includes a lot of hands-on training. Classes should be small in size and every student must have their personal welding machine to train on. Classroom instruction should provide a real-world context, and the course of study should be up-to-date and in-line with industry standards. Training programs differ in length and the type of credential offered, so you will have to decide what length of program and credential will best serve your needs. Every training program offers unique possibilities for certification as well. Probably the best approach to research your short list of schools is to check out each campus and speak with the students and faculty. Invest some time to monitor some classes. Tour the campus and facilities. Make certain that you are confident that the program you decide on is the right one for you. With the proper training, hard work and commitment, the end outcome will be a new trade as a professional welder in Nanuet NY.
Other New York Welder Locations
Nanuet, New York
Nanuet is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Pearl River, south of New City, east of Spring Valley, and west of West Nyack. It is located midway between Manhattan and Bear Mountain, 19 miles (31 km) north and south of each respectively; and 2 miles (3 km) north of the New Jersey border. It has one of three Rockland County stations on New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line. The population of Nanuet was 17,882 at the 2010 census.[1]
The opening of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87/287), the Tappan Zee Bridge, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway in the 1950s helped usher in decades of population growth and real estate development, including the construction of the Nanuet Mall and local shopping centers.[2]
In 2011, CNN Money ranked Nanuet 76 on its annual 100 Best Places to Live list,[3] citing its relatively inexpensive housing and the recreation and shopping opportunities in the area. Nanuet was also ranked 24th on CNN Money's annual 100 Best Places to Live list in 2007.[4]
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